This is an update on my post from a few days ago, here. In that post, I noted how FotB @NaturalStatTrick has added a new “WOWY” tool, and a quick look at the McDonagh/Shattenkirk pairing suggested they be given more time together. ...

Friend of the Blog NaturalStatTrick introduced a new “WOWY” tool today. WOWY, for clarification, shows how players and teammates perform together and apart. NaturalStatTrick’s new WOWY tool is unique in that it allows you to choose up to 5 players at one time.

So the NHL has released a new "Declaration of Principles" which really sounds great. It's all about inclusion, growing the game to different groups and genders, etc. The list is collectively "signed" by pretty much every noteworthy hockey league in North America, and the IIHF as well. It even has the blessing of the Pope. (Jokes about the inclusiveness of the Catholic Church aside, apparently NHL representatives participated in a summit held by the Vatican on using sports to unite people, which certainly sounds like a noble, if unlikely goal).

#ShadowOvechkin. #ShadowOvechkin when he's on the Capitals' power play, I mean specifically. It's something I've tweeted many, many, many times. It even lends itself to a character-saving play on words. I've been in reasonably-civil arguments online about it with people who make decent points. But so far, I remain steadfast in my belief: When on a 4v5 PK against the Caps, the penalty-killing team should have a F glue himself to Ovechkin to limit his shots from the Ovi Spot. Last night, the NYR let him fire away from that spot, and it ended up leading to the first goal of the night (originally credited to Ovi, but later changed to Justin Williams).

The conventionalwisdom is that Roger Federer's weakness, to the extent that he has one, is in his one-handed backhand. This is especially an issue against Rafael Nadal, who has traditionally, at least according to that same conventional wisdom, targeted attacks on Federer's backhand side with Nadal's high-bouncing lefty forehand. When Nadal gets that forehand kicking off the court, and makes Federer try to muscle an awkward one-handed backhand groundstroke from a hit point higher up towards his shoulder, it generally spells trouble for Federer. ...